Unbreakable
by punkrocka23
Summary: Based off 'Return of the Joker' in the cartoon series. Robin tries to find some way to keep his mind while being tortured to insanity by the Joker. But will it be enough to prevent him from becoming Joker Junior? Rated T for disturbing images and violence. Some Rob/Star at the end.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone, punkrocka23 here. I've recently decided to start writing Teen Titans fics and this is my first one. They will cover all aspects of the teen's lives and their different relationships with each other. My first one is a bit unconventional, but relevant nonetheless. If any fan, whether Batman or TT remembers when Robin (the Tim Drake version) was kidnapped and tortured to insanity by the Joker this takes a scene from the middle of that entire story. In this version, Dick Grayson is kidnapped from his friends in Jump and he struggles to cope with the madness engulfing him. But enough of my technical bullshit. Enjoy the story and please Reveiw! You all are awesome!**

**Unbreakable**

Robin didn't know day it was. He also didn't know the time, date or whether it was day or night.

But even worse, Richard Grayson didn't know himself anymore. He felt consumed by the insanity of his situation.

_Jay, the Joker's son..._

_Jay, the Joker's son..._

_Jay, the Joker's son..._

The words rang like bells inside his head, the Joker's mad, cackling laugh echoing deep within his conciousness.

What was he now? Could he be finally insane enough to believe the Joker? The man he had fought all those years with..with...he had forgotten the name. Amid the endless torture, screams and the inane babble, he had tried to remember his mentor. The one who had raised him and trained him and had been like a true father. This tactic had been one he had used to resist against the Joker's attempts to break him.

But in the end he had failed, just like all the rest who had come under the Joker's thumb. He had been forced to do countless horrible things, against his will, because he had none anymore. The pleading of the children, the blood on the floor, the victims of a nightmare, all hope zapped from his now fragile mind.

As tears fell from his eyes that lay wide open he found it all quite funny. He began to laugh, one devoid of any emotion or feeling. It was hilarious! He started to laugh harder, tears from his eyes, that permanent grin stretching from ear to ear. He staggered up from his bed and looked in the mirror, which was cracked and scarred.

What he saw no longer scared him. He had been used to it by now. Through a series of serums and torture devices by the Joker, he became unrecognizable to himself. His mask removed, his spiky black hair flattened and turned green. His once boyish, determined face was a vivid white. Eyes once hidden by the mask were still a vivid blue, but looked empty and lagging and were wide open, as if some invisible force were holding them up.

But worst of all was his smile: it was permanently etched on his face. A creepy, morbid, disgusting grimace that only too often reminded him of his arch nemesis. But that was his smile now, his face, his life, his name...

_I am Jay, the Joker's son_...

It was all so funny. His room was dark, save one lamp that Harley had left as a "night light for little Jay". He didn't resist the use of the name that the evil couple used, he couldn't. First they had drained his strength and his ability to fight back. They had then stripped his physical identity. Now the last stage was here, his own identity.

No one could tell anyone who they were and what they could do, Robin had always adhered to that.

But he wasn't Robin anymore. He could he be? After what had happened? What he had done; how could his friends forgive him?

All of a sudden Robin was jarred from his thoughts. As if a hook was reeling his brain back to the surface he remembered four faces: his friends.

Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire. He still remembered! They were still there in his mind. He didn't know how long this period of clarity would last, but he had to hold on somehow. To remember, one last time before this nightmare consumed him completely.

Cyborg: They had their fights and disagreements. But Robin cared deeply for the half man, half machine. To care was an understatement. They were a perfect one-two punch, the right and left fists. He was the team scientist and tech man. A master of devices and vehicles. A smile came to Robin's face as he remembered all those times Cyborg had worked on his "baby". The T Car he had built for them all. He wanted to remember that.

Beast Boy: The changeling annoyed him. Plain and simple. Just as he did with everyone else. But that didn't stop him from being a reliable teammate and good friend. If his jokes were lame and corny, at least they lightened up the mood sometimes. No doubt after the Doom Patrol incident, Robin had a newfound respect for the green teen and made a private vow to start treating him with more respect. He only wished he had lived up to that promise more.

Raven: This one was hard for the former hero. He and Raven had a special connection. One shared through emotion and understanding. She had seen his mind, his pain, his whole in a respect. If there was anyone that Robin was glad was quiet it was her. Raven was a brilliant thinker under pressure and often mediated disputes between the boys. She had a big heart, bigger than people realized. It would have been better if he had taken the time to get to know her even more.

Starfire: He could barely say the name, as the last bit of salt water left his eyes. The girl of his dreams, the one he had been infatuated with since the day she crash-landed into his world. She was an angel, a smoking pistol, a kind soul, his best friend and the most beautiful girl he had even known. Robin was trained to fight criminals, not chase love. But love found him with Starfire. She made his heart pound like no other girl had and had touched him in a way no one ever would. With Starfire, everything was better, all was well no matter what the circumstance. He would miss her: her laugh, her giggle, her radiant smile, the way she confused english pronouns and verbs and most importantly they way she made him feel. If only he had had the guts to ask her out...

He hoped, even after the last sliver of his mind left him, some part of his former self would recall better times with the people he considered closer than family.

_'Perhaps that's what they'll remember at my funeral, when it comes' _he thought.

"Unbreakable". The part of him the Joker would never take away.

As he sighed at this thought he realized he was still looking at himself in the cracked mirror. He was horrified now, the numbness had worn some and now he truly realized what he had become: a monster. A child worthy of the Joker. He began to laugh as terrible fury rose within him, his mind was pulled back below the surface of his inner demons. Something inside of him slipped. It was like falling on a banana peel!

Raising a gloved fist, Robin, now Joker Junior smashed the mirror in his last attempt at retaining sanity. The glass hit the floor in pieces, as did his mind. Darkness clouded reason, evil broke thought. And raising a bloodied hand he laughed harder than he ever had before. He sputtered out of control, his mind becoming empty, a shell. No twinkle or movement to indicate anything was there. Just a mindless jack-in-the-box, a murderous little clown, violent white eyes...all the while he laughed as the words repeated themselves in his mind.

_Jay the Joker's son!_

_Jay the Joker's son!_

_JAY THE JOKER'S SON!_

His laugh was suddenly followed by another outside of his room. He recognized it immediately, but no longer feared it.

The door burst open and the Joker stood smiling evilly at his newly made son.

"Morning sonny boy!" he chirped hands clasped together. "I see we are up bright and early. What do ya wanna do today sport?"

No response. Just more sterile laughter.

The smile widened on the Joker's face. "My, my aren't we happy today Junior. But I can't say I'm surprised, after all laughter is the best medicine is it not?" he said laughing now himself.

Joker Junior merely tilted his head in agreement. The smile never leaving his face.

"Tell you what" the Joker said putting his arms around his new son. "Since your in such a good mood today sonny boy I'm gonna give you a little reward. A little treat for a good little boy. But first you have to answer a question. Oh and no peeking!" he said putting his hands over the fallen hero's eyes.

He was led into a large room where his dad said, "Okay Jay, let's see if you can get this one. What do you get when you cross a gun, a bullet, and a victim?"

A metal object was placed in his hands. All of a sudden the Joker lifted his hands. He was standing in front of a table with a bowl on it and a box of Cheerio's. Joker Junior looked inside of the bowl. Six letters floated lazily in the sea of milk. They spelled M-U-R-D-E-R.

"That's right m'boy! Murder!" the Joker laughed hysterically. "Oh man I crack myself up!"

He then pointed towards the wall, where a young woman, no older than 25, dressed skimpy, was chained to the same device Robin had been stuck to during the first days of his torture.

"Help!" the poor woman screamed in desperation. "Help! Let me go you son of a bitch!"

"Oh dear me such language" the Joker said shaking his head. "We'll have to fix that. Oh darling!" he called.

Harley Quinn now appeared with a big bar of smilex soap. "On it puddin pop!" she cackled.

She reached in and jammed the bar of soap violently into the victims mouth. "Whore!" she spat.

"There, now that out to wash the shit out" the Joker chuckled disturbingly.

The woman's screams were now muffled due to the soap. But were heard nonetheless.

"Oh this is getting so cliche" the Joker said yawning. "Junior, end this sad little flick will you. Make it spectacular. You know end the show in a bang. HAHA! Get it?" he laughed wildly.

Robin was now a dark soul, devoid of anything good or great in the world. The destroyed soul; hunched back and tilted, slowly raised the gun. He started to laugh as hysterically as the Joker had moments before. He laughed and laughed as he slowly pressed the trigger of the gun; the woman pleading in short muffles.

The Joker and Harley were watching with disturbing affection.

"They grow up so fast" the Joker said wiping a tear from his eye.

The gun fired, a loud blast echoed in the former Asylum.

Blood splattered the wall, the poor woman's screams were no more. And all the while a broken and destroyed Dick Grayson, now Joker Junior could not stop laughing.

_Laughing...laughing...laughing...laughing_

* * *

**Next chapter will be posted right away. A reminder that I do not own anything. This is my version of the story. If you would like to see the video, look up "Batman and Joker final confrontation" on youtube. Remember to review. Thanks guys! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**The second chapter of this installment. There will be one more after this. If anyone is freaked out or scared by this story I apologize, however I found it necessary to make it graphic and a torrent of madness because of the situation Robin is in. Intense yes, but it is definitely worth the read. Usually my fics aren't as dark as this. More of a one time deal, but I please read and review. I enjoy feedback. Rock on! And enjoy the story**

**Chapter 2. The Battle for Robin's Mind**

Batman aka Bruce Wayne had never been more disturbed, horrified, and sickened in his entire life.

This had topped everything the Joker had done. Corrupting Harvey Dent, murdering countless people, the list was as long as an Anaconda. But this...this was too much. For the first time in his tenure as Batman, Bruce was losing control, his emotions dictating his actions. He wanted revenge, he wanted blood, he wanted the Joker's head on a stick. The one rule he had adhered to since becoming the Dark Knight, was running dangerously close to being broken.

He frantically searched for where his nemesis had gone in the old Arkham building. Creepy as it was, it didn't scare him. Only one thing ever did, and now that fear had come true. It was his fault.

He started to breathe deeply, trying to calm down to get his temper under control. He had to find the Joker and bring him to justice. This time once and for all.

A Flash of lightning cracked the air ever ominously. As he frantically searched among the junk and rubble he heard a familiar oily voice cut through the musty air.

"What's the matter Batman? No witty comeback? No threat? Then I'll provide the narration"

Batman looked around searching for the source. He ran through the old movie theater looking for the duranged clown.

All of a sudden the lights went out, the theater darkened and the sound of a movie camera echoed. He peered up at a small screen where a film was being played. It was titled in very sloppy, hand-written print: **Our Family Memories.**

"I'll begin with how I peeled back the layers of the boys mind" the Joker said evilly.

The movie began with the camera focusing on the madman. He was standing next to an entire row of liquid serums, potions and torture devices that looked quite lethal.

Then the scene switched over to Dick, who was frantically struggling against his bounds upon a giant operating table.

"Though he bravely tried to fight it at first" the sleazy voice of the Joker said. The film then showed the Joker in a cookout atmosphere, with a chef's hat, grill and shirt that said "Kiss the cook". Smiling he opened the grill and pulled out giant metal electrical shock clamps. Licking his lips, he attached them to the table upon with Dick was still fighting to break free.

Next thing Bruce knew, Dick was being electricuted painfully as the volts surged through his young body. Horrified beyond belief the film continued. Shots and potions, forced down the boy's throat. Acid rain burning his skin into a pale, sickly white. Makeup applied to his face, laughing gas driving him from sanity. He wanted to vomit at the sight.

"You would've been proud to see him so strong" The Joker continued. "But all too soon the serums and the shocks took their toll"

Bruce continued to watch in horror as the Joker forced Robin to do unspeakable acts of cruelty upon others. The shooting of a hooker, the mutilation of a homeless man, the cold blooded murder of 10 children. The ones that had gone missing a week ago. All of this, had been done by his former protege, he could not fathom...believe...how could Dick have done all those things? More importantly, how had HE, the great Batman, have let this happen?

"Soon the dear lad began to share such secrets with me. Secrets for our mind alone to know..Bruce"

At this a wave of fear engulfed him. The Joker knew. He knew everything right down to his true name. He peered up and spotted the Joker in the booth room.

"That's right Batsy, I know everything" he said with a most gleefully. "And kind of like the kid who peeks at his Christmas presents I must admit it's sadly anti-climatic. That behind the stern and batarangs you're just a little boy in a playsuit crying for mommy and daddy. It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic"

He paused with a frown. "Ah what the hell I'll laugh anyway. HAHAHAHA!" he cried hysterically.

That did it. Bruce's anger broke and he leapt at the acursed clown through the window smashing through with a mighty crash. The Joker was taken aback by the Batman's sudden burst of anger and fell back, but not before the dark knight grabbed him and punched him square in the face. He delivered another powerful blow with everything he had, his fury pummeling the Joker right into the camera knocking it over and falling to the ground.

Batman reached for the Joker and held him by the collar of his purple suit.

"If you don't like the movie. I've got slides" he said with a grin, blood running from his mouth.

Bruce had heard enough. Using all of his strength he used both his hands and flung the Joker violently out the window and he landed painfully on giant, life-sized alphabet blocks. All the while, a small teenage boy was watching.

* * *

Jay didn't know what to make of the situation. It didn't bother him. He saw his dad being flung down onto the fun looking blocks. He'd play with them if they weren't so huge.

A dark Bat-looking thing leapt down and grabbed a groaning and moaning Joker and slammed by his neck against the wall, the Joker holding his arm with two of his smaller ones from suffocating.

"I'll break you in two" he growled, rasing his fist. But far from being afraid the Joker just laughed with a silly grin.

"Haha Batman, if you had the guts for that kind of fun you would've done it years ago. I on the other hand..." he said raising a gloved hand. Batman was confused, was this some sort of trick? But he didn't see the shiny object appearing out of the Joker's other hand: a sharp, deadly knife.

By the time he realized what was happening it was too late. The Joker sliced open his chest with the flick of his wrist. Then stuck the knife straight in his knee.

"ARGH!" he grunted as he fell backwards from the top of the alphabet blocks and crashed face first on the floor.

To Jay it was all good fun. Life was a joke, this was just another punchline. But thoughts were irrelevant, memories pointless. Being empty as a turtle shell; a liberating feeling. How ironic since he couldn't feel at all, hehehe.

He peered up at his dad, smiling all the while at the pain of the costumed man in front of him.

The Joker leapt down from the ruckus and knelt close to where the injured vigilante lay.

"You've lost Batman" he said quietly. "Robin is mine now, and the last sound you'll hear is our laughter"

Bruce couldn't believe it. How could he have fallen for the Joker's tricks again? The end was near. He could sense death.

The Joker grabbed the 'Fatman' and then threw a dart gun at his loyal son.

"Here ya go sonny boy" he said. Jay eagerly ran to recieve the gun, catching it in his hands with pure glee.

He lifted Batman in the air with strength Bruce didn't know the clown had. Time was running out.

"Make daddy proud! Deliver the punchline"

Slowly, Jay raised the gun. He aimed it at the funny looking thing his daddy held in his hand. Slowly he began to laugh, that cheshire cat grin that never left his face. He pulled the trigger and a small flag reading 'Bang' appeared at the end of the gun. The next time the dart would be released.

Bruce Wayne couldn't believe this was the end. But it was sure as hell looking like it. He had to break through to Robin. He had to, before he was silenced by him.

"Dick.." he pleaded, his vision growing hazy.

But the laughter continued, louder and more crazed. The gun was aimed straight for his chest. This was it, this was the end. Batman closed his eyes and braced himself for impact.

Jay couldn't wait to deliver his joke. His punchlines were always funny, but this one would be the smash hit. The audience was watching, the faces, the ghosts inside his head. He was going to do it. He was going to end the show with glory! Hehe! Maybe he would get flowers!

He slowly started on the trigger. All of a sudden a blast came from the wall.

Shards of rock and debris flew all over the place, as out of the dust the Teen Titans appeared.

"Robin!" shouted Starfire. But she was interrupted by the Joker.

"Ah if it isn't the Teen Titans. Come to watch the end of the show? You can't miss it. If you're real good you may just get an encore!"

"Blow it out your ass. Stop this right now!" Cyborg shouted as he, like the others saw the effects of the Joker's work on their former leader.

"Oh my God.." Raven whispered. "It can't be"

"Now my little hockey puck don't be a spoiled sport" the Joker grinned. "You'll get the exclusive backstage pass once this is over" he said pulling out a gun and aiming it at them.

"Dude this guy is crazy" Beast Boy remarked stepping back.

"Crazy? CRAZY?" the Joker roared. "HAHA! I'm only as crazy as you think I am green bean. Life is but a show, and as they say, the show must go on"

He cocked the gun back. "So if you don't mind, let's finish this shall we Jay?"

"His name is Robin!" Starfire shouted, her eyes glowing green.

"SILENCE!" The Joker fired and the bullet barely missed the alien girl's head. That shut her right up.

"We'll have no more interruptions. Ladies and gentleman this is for your eyes only. I suggest any kiddies on the house close their eyes." the Joker said with a grin. He turned to their fallen leader.

"Fire Jay"

The suspense automatically turned up. The seconds seemed like centuries, everyone held their breath for what would happen next. Starfire buried her head in Cyborg's shoulder, tears runnning down her face.

"Robin! It's us buddy! Your friends! Don't do do it!" the tin man called.

Jay looked over at the odd assortment of people standing there. They looked strangely familiar.

"You don't belong with him you belong with us" Raven pleaded.

"Don't listen to them Jay. Remember to make daddy happy!" the Joker called still holding Batman upright.

"Dude don't do it. You're Robin!" Beast Boy called. "You're with us. Your our leader. You don't take shit from people like him" Beast Boy called.

Something inside Jay's brain clickled when he heard that name. Robin..Robin.. he was...Robin? A bird, no wait, it had to mean something. Was it possible that he was somebody else? Slowly, he hesitated, he lowered the gun ever so slightly. Emotion came back to his empty face. He looked...confused.

The Joker became angry now. Robin was fighting to return. The hero was coming back. He had to put an end to this once and for all. "INSOLENT CHILD!" he yelled. "Pull the trigger NOW! Do it! Or you will feel my anger! Do it or else!"

Fear struck his heart. He didn't like it when daddy talked to him that way. He had to act or..more torture..more bad memories..he didn't want that. So why was he hesitating? It was all for laughs! Hehehe!

He began to laugh again and raised the gun, pointing it at Batman again. This time, it would be for sure. All was silent, all was ready. It was going to happen, it was..

Couraged surged through the alien princess. She turned away from Cyborg's chest and faced the lost boy. Mustering all her strength she said as loud as she could.

"ROBIN!" cried Starfire as he slowly tugged the trigger.

_WAIT_ cried a voice in his brain. Memories flooded back to his head, those people, those voices...Cyborg..Beast Boy...Raven...Starfire!

He could not, whatever he was doing he had to avoid it as he came to. At the last second the unthinkable happened. He shifted his gun right and as it fired with an incredible bang, the steel dart hit the clown squarely in the chest, sending him flying backwards into a large wooden crate.

"ACK!" the Joker cried as he crashed hard into the wall. He looked down at his chest, the dart sticking out like a dagger. It was..the boy..the boy he thought he had broken...he had betrayed him.

Bruce Wayne slowly arose. What he saw shocked him, for the first time in all his years of confronting his arch-enemy, he saw true fear in the Joker's eyes. The oncoming wave of death consumed him.

"That's not funny...that's not". The villian gasped his last breath of air before leaning forward and falling to the ground in a lump.

The Joker was dead.

Breathing heavily Bruce stood up to see that Dick still had the gun raised. But he would be no threat now. It was over. It was finally over.

And the destroyed young hero began laughing again. He laughed with the intensity of a nightmare, wrapped in torment, giggling and gurgling from his throat. The Titans stared at him in disbelief.

But then something happened. Slowly Robin's smile drooped into a frown of shock and horror, his laughter became terrible sobbing and tears splashed down his pale, white face. He dropped the gun and fell to his knees, weeping heavily not knowing what to do.

Then, the pretty Tamaranian girl took the first step. Tears running down her own cheeks she flew over to her love and touched him on the arm. When he showed no sign of resisting she pulled him into a tight hug. She would never let go again. Never.

"It's okay Robin" she whispered. "It's okay"

Raven followed suit as she walked over and also hugged her friend, telling him it was going to be alright.

Cyborg and Beast Boy could only watch as Robin's sobbing ripped into their hearts. But they approached the now saved Titan anyway in a show of comfort.

"It's alright Robin. You're free, it's all over" Cyborg said.

_Yes, it was all over_ thought Batman as he stepped over the Joker. _But would it be alright?_

Looking at the Joker's face haunted him now more than ever before. His soul was frozen, his blood running ice cold at what had happened here tonight. The last smile was still ectched upon the Joker's terrible face. In his last act of madness he had taken the thing he had cared for most and had tortured and ruined it into a terrible form. A ghost of his former self. He had broken Dick Grayson.

True he was dead, but measures had to be taken now. No one could ever know that it had been Robin who had done this. That he murdered ten children and numerous others. The city would lose hope as well as a leader. It was similar in the way Harvey Dent had died, but this time was different. Dick had a chance to gain back his life.

He swallowed a mouth full of blood. Just how much a chance though? He knew from years of experience that once the Joker ripped apart someone's mind it was gone forever. And in doing so to Robin, he had created a catalyst of destruction and murder unmatched by anything the Dark Knight had ever seen in all his years of fighting crime. He wished there was something that could be done...to make it better.

_No _he thought. It wasn't the time to think about this. Right now he had to look over his former sidekicks well being. It would take years of therapy, surgery, and counseling to get over this. Maybe even decades. The Joker had left a very big mess to clean.

He took one more long look at the demented clown, the laughter still echoing in his mind.

Then Batman sighed- But for now, he could be at peace, in knowledge of the fact that it was over.

At last it was over.


	3. Chapter 3

**Well here we go. The aftermath of the events that occured in the last chapter will now come to pass. I hope you all enjoy the conclusion. And please review. I enjoy people's comments. Rock on!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Chapter 3. Unbreakable**

_One year later..._

Robin opened his eyes and sucked in the cold air. He looked at his clock- 5:45. He could try to go back to sleep. But he knew the he couldn't even if he wanted to. Today was the day.

Today marked exactly one year it had happened. The day the Joker had kidnapped him and nearly destroyed him.

July 11th, 2011...

He looked outside the window. It was still dark, but the oncoming sunrise was turning night into a dull, quiet grey. The sun would be up soon.

Robin sat up, stretched and got out of bed. Still in his underwear he headed towards his bathroom. He turned on the sink and started to splash his face. Robin didn't have his mask on, his piercing blue eyes stared back at him in the mirror.

It had taken a long time for him to get over his ordeal. Originally when he came to, Bruce told him that there was a very slim chance initially that he would regain his sanity. But resilience paid off in the end. His adopted father had hired the best psychologists in the world to talk to him and try to break through. He had also hired specialists to try and reverse the effects of the Joker's experiments on his body.

Many things had to be done. He had to be taught proper posture again, it took a special kind of shampoo and conditioner to rid him of the green hair. Even then it took months to fade. The makeup was thought to be permanent, but Bruce had done some real digging and finally found a surgeon that used a combination of baby oil and a harmless acid to create a cream that would restore his proper skin tone. His molars were replaced and his mouth steadily fixed into a normal position.

But they couldn't fix everything. As Robin stared at himself in the mirror he couldn't get over how his eyes now looked. They now had a gaunt look to them. His cheekbones high and thin. Cyborg had praised on what a good job they had done, but the haunting look in his eyes served as a constant reminder of what the Joker had done.

After brushing his teeth and gelling his hair, he went over to his closet and put on his uniform.

He remembered the first day he had put it back on. The ol' traffic light had never felt better.

The reactions had been very emotional. Starfire had hugged him for at least ten minutes, Beast Boy had brought out a bottle of champagne, Raven had given a rare smile and hug. Cyborg had shed a small tear the sight of his leader back not only in uniform, but in the right state of mind. That had been a good day.

The surgery and counseling had all helped. He knew this as he put on his gloves and adjusted his mask.

But the key deciding factor was the fact his teammates, his friends, had visited him every day in the hospital. When the doctors were saying that he was lost forever, their visits slowly pieced him back together.

Starfire had talked to him in a soft soothing voice, Raven had read to him, Beast Boy telling him his latest jokes, Cyborg talking to him about the latest version of Mega Monkeys. The simple things had truly brought him back. No amount of therapy from therapists and psychologists could bring to him what his friends did.

He headed out from his room, careful not to wake anyone else up. He wanted to be alone. To watch the sunrise mark another day. To thank God (A/N: Not literally) he was alive.

It was a day of reflection, that was for sure. Robin thought of all the nightmares he suffered afterwards. Cold sweats and waking up in the middle of the night screaming. Haunting memories of the endless torture and murder. Sometimes he wondered whether or not the Joker was really dead. But he had killed him, in an act of free will and mind and nothing would bring him back. Peace had come to the world. But peace had not truly come to him until one fateful day in the hospital.

_Flashback, four months previously_

_Frail, that's what they called him. Robin sincerley doubted the doctors who presided over him. But every time he tried to take a step forward, to prove he was mentally fit to go home, an imaginary cane would pull him back down. _

_True, he recognized his father Bruce Wayne, his friends, and his old butler Alfred Pennyworth. But the Joker haunted him every day, in his sleep, in his steps. He still heard laughter in his head, he would wake up in the middle of the night shrieking and the nurses would have to calm him down. He was scared of his own shadow, and despite the progress that he had made, he feared that he would be forever confined to this institution. A little birdy in a cage never allowed to fly._

_Would life ever be the same?_

_Just then a doctor in white came into the room._

_"Mr Grayson you have a visitor"_

_He nodded quietly to show his approval of the visit._

_"You may come in Miss Roth"_

_Miss Roth? He didn't know anyone called that. Was it a trick?_

_Then out stepped a pale skinned girl with violet hair and dark eyes. She wore a dark leotard and matching cloak and a hoodie. She removed it and Robin instantly recognized her._

_Excitement beated in his chest. Raven had come to see him!_

_"Hello Robin" she said kindly._

_"Ra...Rav..Raven" he struggled to say her name. _

_Raven sighed. Despite everything the doctors had done, Robin's speech was still nothing more than a stutter and his mental age that of a four year old. They feared he might never progress past that._

_She walked over to his bedside and sat down._

_"I brought a new book today" she said with a smile pulling out a novel from her handbag. "It's called the Lord of the Rings. Would you like me to read it to you?"_

_Permission. She always had to ask, as he was forced to do many bad things, it was important to let him make his own decisions. The stressed this point to them every time one of them visited._

_Robin however nodded very eagerly._

_"Ok then" she said with a bigger smile. The sorceress then began to read._

_It was an amazing story to Robin. There were creatures called hobbits that were short and small, but tough in spirit. Wizards who could do magic, wise elves, men with swords, evil orcs and trolls. Coolest of all was a magic ring that gave the wearer great power. It fascinated him._

_But then he heard the story of the dark lord Sauron. An evil being sought out to steal the ring and conquer the world. He too tried to torture and delighted in hurting innocent people. This scared Robin, it reminded him of a dark master he once served...it reminded him of...of himself. _

_As Raven read on she suddenly felt a small tug on the sleeve of her leotard. _

_She looked down and saw it was Robin, those small, innocent blue eyes looked at her in fear. Much like a child afraid of the dark._

_"Raven?" he asked without stammering._

_Surprised she asked, "What's wrong Robin?"_

_"Ra..Raven. I'm a b-bb-ad person" he said trying to formulate the words._

_"What? No" Raven dismissed calmly. "No you're not. You're a very good person Robin"_

_"No Raven...I..he..I kill...people" Robin said struggling to make a sentence._

_"Robin don't worry, nothing you did.."_

_"NO!" he shouted now. His efforts became stronger. "I did bad things. I..I killed children. I listen to clown man. He injured me...I do bad things. I lost...I lost.." Tears were forming in his eyes._

_Raven grabbed Robin's hand and squeezed. "Robin listen to me" she said in barely more than a whisper. "Everything you did or might've done, it was all because of him. Not you. It was his doing. Clown man made you do bad things. But he couldn't make you forget who you were. You are a good person. Ok?"_

_"Raven..." Robin said._

_"Dick" Raven said now putting her hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault"_

_He couldn't hold back any longer. He started sobbing tremendously, tears running down his cheeks._

_Moved almost to the point of tears herself, Raven remained strong and pulled Robin into a tight hug. It devastated her to see him like this, anger rising at the fucking twisted sick son of a bitch that did this to her friend. But she couldn't focus on that. She needed to tell Robin it was alright, that everything was ok._

_"Shhhh" she said softly, rubbing his back. "It's ok, shhh"_

_"Raven* I'm *sorry!" he said between sobs._

_"It's not your fault Robin, it's not your fault"_

_His sobs became louder and he held on tighter. But this time they weren't maniacal or screeching. It was tears of remorse, of sorrow, of regret. She could feel it coming from his very soul._

_Just then the doctor rushed in._

_"What's the matter in here?" he asked concerned._

_Raven looked over, still hugging the boy wonder. "Nothing doc. I think he's ok."_

_"Wait a minute, is he crying?" the doctor asked, his eyes widening._

_Raven nodded._

_"Doctor Lindemann! Doctor Freid! Come quick!" he shouted as he ran down the hallway._

_She knew he was getting the pompous psychiatrists to analyze him now. But for once, Raven was sure that Robin had made a break through on his own. This wouldn't require evaluation or testing. It was perfectly clear to her what was going on._

_The doctor reappeared followed by a blonde woman and middle aged man, both in professional clothing and holding notebooks. Raven let go of Robin, but the boy didn't want her to leave._

_"Raven..no!" he cried._

_The doctors looked at the empath with confusion._

_"I'll be back Dick. Don't worry" she said soothingly._

_The blue eyes scanned her down._

_"Promise?" he asked._

_Raven smiled at him. "I promise" she said without any hint of doubt._

_Robin, tears still shining in his eyes, smiled back. It was devoid of any emptiness or cruelty. It was the smile she had once known, it was now back. A genuine, true smile._

_The doctors then began to fuss over Dick, asking him questions, pestering him endlessly while the boy wonder insisted he was fine._

_"Call Mr. Wayne!" one of them said in an excited tone. "He needs to see this. This is a break through. He's going to be ok"_

_'Better than ok' Raven thought, as she walked out of the room. 'Way better than ok'_

_And for the first time in months, she truly believed it._

_Present Time Period_

She was right. He became better than ok. He became normal.

His speech rapidly became more sophisticated and structured. He could sleep at night without a nurse present. Eating became a regular habit. But even more he began to feel. He could laugh at his favorite TV show, cry at a sad movie, be embarrased when he stood up in front of a pretty nurse with an erection. The only thing he feared was anger. How it might take control of him again and turn to murderous rage.

But Robin had learned to conquer that too. Within a month he was allowed to leave the hospital. The doctors and psychologists called it a miracle case. To Robin, however it was if nothing had ever happened. That life was simply resuming where it had left off. He never saw what the hulabaloo had been about.

Of course he couldn't go back immediately. Bruce had insisted that he come and live with him in Gotham for a time. Partly to make up for lost time, partly to keep an eye on anything suspicious or dangerous occuring within his mind.

But not even the great Batman himself could keep him from rejoining his teammates. After a month of living in a huge, boring old mansion of Wayne Manor and with some help from Alfred, he finally returned to Titans Tower.

Within another week he was fighting crime again. Life had never been so good.

Robin climbed up the stairs towards the roof. The sound of his sneakers hitting the stairs, and his quiet breathing rang clearly in his head.

He reached the top and breathed in the cool morning, summer air. A breeze blew gently in his face. The sound of birds chirping was the first music of the morning. Facing the East, he waited for the golden sun to greet him.

Closing his eyes, he felt clam and serene standing in the midst of such a beautiful scene. After all this time, he stood upon a vast plain of beauty and greatness. Was this all real?

Just then he heard a voice. Soft and sweet like butterfly wings. Pleasant to the ear.

"Robin?"

He knew who it was.

"Starfire" he replied.

She seemed hesitant. "Please, I did not mean to disturb you. I will leave if..."

"No" Robin cut her off. "Stay"

He didn't turn around to see her. Nevertheless he felt a pair of delicate hands touch his shoulders.

He turned and saw the beautiful Tamaranian girl standing next to him.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up"

"No you did not" Starfire said. "I merely woke up and could not go back to sleep. I remembered that today was the day.."

Robin was surprised. She had remembered.

"I saw you go up to the roof. So I thought I might join you." she continued. "You are sure it is alright if I accompany you?"

"Positive" Robin said giving her a smile, and she blushed in return.

They stood in silence for a moment watching the early morning sky. Starfire then spoke again.

"One thing I enjoy very much about Earth is it's sunrises" she stated. "On Tamaran we do not get to enjoy such luxeries"

"I've always loved the sunrise" Robin said. "As I said once before. It gives me hope. The start of a brand new day"

The alien princess looked down for a moment, as if unsure what to say, then,

"Robin, I just want to say how proud I am of you on this day"

"Don't be" Robin said, a twinge of regret going through him. "It should never have happened. None of it."

"But you overcame it" Starfire said more firmly. "For that I applaud you"

"Starfire" Robin said looking into her deep green eyes now. "I nearly lost myself. A murderer and a psychopath, forever more. For awhile when I was with him I lost faith. I lost all belief in myself."

"For awhile so did I" Starfire admitted. "But never to the point where I would give up on you. To give in was to declare victory for him.

"The Joker..." Robin started.

But Starfire pressed a finger to his lips. "No, you do not need to say his name. Leave it behind for you have defeated him. You were his greatest failure, and his downfall"

Robin thought for a moment- Yes, he had defeated him. He had never truly submitted to his will. It comforted him. Then he noticed Starfire was getting closer to him. She placed a gentle hand upon his chest. His heart began to pound as he said,

"To be honest Star, what brought me back wasn't all the therpay or treatment and tests they made me go through. It was you. All of you guys. The last thing I remembered was...your faces. Your smile, your heart, your courage..everything. I could never forget it. No matter how hard he tried to squeeze it out of me, I won. I did it. I beat him"

Starfire pulled him close now, practically inches from each other's face.

"There is a word on my planet for people like you" she said softly. "We call them 'Zorfnoka', but translated to English, it means 'Unbreakable'"

She inched forward as Robin also moved in.

And as they kissed softly in the morning breeze, the sun arose, lighting a fire upon their embrace.

They broke apart. Their heads still resting upon each other, hands tightly wrapped in a loving gesture.

For the first time in nearly a year, Robin at last, felt at peace.

**THE END**


End file.
